


A Series of Cliches and Tropes

by directi0n



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, F/F, Fluff, Humour, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-30
Updated: 2014-06-30
Packaged: 2018-02-06 21:00:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1872291
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/directi0n/pseuds/directi0n
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All my accompanying fics to the GIF edits I did on Tumblr for the Swan Queen Week Summer 2014.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 2 - Fake Relationship

**Author's Note:**

> This is a series of minc-fics and one-shots I did for the Swan Queen Week this summer. If you're interested, there are many other wonderful and amazing fanfiction and fanart done by tumblr users and you can find them all at the tumblr url of swanqueenweek.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy this!
> 
> P.S. Because I have an unfortunate proclivity for inconsistency, Days 1, 6 and 8 are missing because I only started from Day 2 and had not had the time to write an accompanying fic for Days 6 and 8.

Emma wringed her fingers nervously together as she sat at her usual booth in Granny’s diner, anxiously glancing up from her hot beverage every time the door to the diner clinked open. She knew she did not have a reason to be nervous – hell, it was not as if she had not participated in such histrionics before.

But this was different.

Emma thought back to a few days ago where Regina Mills, Mayor of this sleepy town and other mother of her son, had approached her with a truce that dragged along an unusual condition. She thought about how it had been reluctantly but firmly proposed; that despite their well-known animosity toward the other around town, it was better to put on pretences for the common good – their son. 

Emma broke out of her reverie and immediately snapped her head up when she heard the familiar clicking of heels and the apple scented spice wafted between them as she gave a glance toward the uptight Mayor, before donning a huge grin at Henry as the ten-year-old stealthily slid into the booth opposite her, followed by Regina.

After a quick order to Ruby, the two women sat stiffly facing the other as Henry rattled on before Regina seemingly made a silent decision.

“So Henry,” the brunette stated once their beverages had been placed in front of them. “There is a reason why Ms. Swan is here today.”

“Okay…?” The boy suspiciously regarded his brunette mother before turning to his blonde one for explanation.

Emma cleared her throat. “Henry, what your mom means is that we have to tell you something.”

“Okay,” Henry nodded. “What is it?”

“Your mom and I are… together.”

Henry raised a brow, looking so much like Regina in that instant Emma could almost laugh if not for the current situation.

“What do you mean?”

The cold stare from Regina did not help and Emma silently cursed the woman for her silence as she tried again.

“What I’m trying to say is that me and your mom are, you know, like together in a sense that-”

“Ms. Swan and I are in a relationship.”

The momentum in the diner seemed to freeze as Regina said those words with loud confidence and the nearby customers hushed as they overheard the words. From her peripheral vision, Emma could see Ruby gape at her from behind the counter as she tried to keep her smile in place at Henry.

This was a dumb idea to start with, Emma silently cursed herself as she wondered how she’ll get herself out of this mess. Trust her to have agreed to Regina’s stupid proposal of pretending to be a couple. Of course everyone could see through them, especially Henry. He had been there to witness their many face offs firsthand after all. Anyone actually believing she and Regina were a couple is either a miracle worker or some naïve fool because-

“I knew it!”

Henry’s outburst surprised her and even Regina seemed to drop her usual stoic face to widen her eyes at her son.

Henry’s large and toothy grin swept between his two mothers as the diner picked up its usual bustle and cacophony once more.

“I don’t… I don’t understand,” Emma started, genuinely confused this time as she flitted her gaze towards Regina, who only smirked back. “Regina and I have never gotten along ever since I came to town. What makes you think-”

“Exactly,” Henry interrupted excitedly. “That’s why you and mom have to get together!”

Emma could only gape at her son while Regina on the other hand, brought a loving hand to smooth her son’s hair, a hopeful tone to her gaze.

“That means you’re okay with Ms. Swan and I together, as a couple?”

Henry shot a smile to his brunette mother, a smile that Regina thought she would never see directed to her again, and it tugged at her heart as she reveled in it.

“As long as we all get along,” Henry said, taking Regina’s hand and reaching over to take Emma’s as well, placing the two on top of the other.

“As long as you two get along, then I’ll be happy. And we’ll be happy together, all of us.”

As her fingers met the soft skin of Regina’s hand and their eyes met over uncertainty and hesitance, Emma gave a small smile toward the mayor – the first of its kind – as she turned back toward her hopeful son.

“You’re right, Henry,” Emma agreed, turning Regina’s hand upwards so their palms met and Emma felt more than heard the sharp intake of breath Regina took as she slipped her fingers in between Regina’s.

“We’ll be together.”

She knew what they were; she knew what a game meant. But Emma cannot help but feel how perfect her hands felt fitted against the spaces of Regina’s and with the tiny grip in reply from the brunette; she knew she was not the only one who felt it.

It could be as Henry said, that this would all end up good for all of them. But the future was the last thing on Emma’s mind as they carried on conversation like it was normal, like it was what they had been doing all along.

And as their hands stayed entwined over the table top – an open declaration for the world to know, Emma knew that although façades tend to work pretty well, she also knew that lines were blurring and that the ground beneath her and Regina was starting to shift.

Only time can tell whether or not this will all work out in the end but for now, Emma knew she had a mask to put on and a play to act.

As Regina said, _que será, será_ right?


	2. Day 3 - Amnesia

_We met at a funeral._

_It is a strange way to meet someone. But we met, all the same._

[-]

“1… 2… 3!”

Henry grinned happily as he snapped the camera, the flash almost blinding the two women posing in front of it.

“Jesus,” Emma blinked her eyes in rapid movements once the picture was taken. “It’s a miracle people don’t go blind by taking a single photo. I mean, that thing is as bright as heaven.”

Regina laughed and drew Emma tighter to her. “Yeah, and you’ve been to heaven before?”

“I don’t need to,” Emma smirked and turned around, pulling the brunette flushed against her. “It’s right here.”

Regina felt her heart flutter and she returned the smile.

“The photo’s done!” Henry announced as he waved the Polaroid film at them.

“Show me!”

Regina groaned. “It’s going to look horrible.”

“Why would you think so,” Emma gave the brunette a pointed look.

“You jabbed me. I felt it.”

“I did not!”

“Yes, you did.”

“I did not, I swear!”

“Yup,” Henry piped up. “Ma did. It’s in the picture.”

Regina watched as the blonde ran over to their son excitedly, resembling a five year old child. Sometimes it amazed her that this was the very same woman who had coaxed her up with words then took her hand and gently walked with her through the flames. Emma Swan had been the Saviour of this town, but she was so much more to the brunette: from being just her son’s other mother, to a friend and confidante and now, her wife.

Emma’s presence in her life was a constant rejuvenation and Regina knew that right here right now, she had never been luckier.

“What’re you standing there for? Come over here and see how cute we look,” Emma winked and beckoned her over. “Our son’s a great photographer.”

The brunette only lightly shook her head and joined the other two, peering over Henry’s shoulder to study the picture they just took with Henry’s new Polaroid camera. It was his very first shot and he, being their son, had wanted the first picture to be of his two mothers.

To say it was ‘cute’ was an understatement. To her surprise, Regina found the shot amazing.

Henry had taken the exact moment right after Emma had jabbed her ribs – her soundless laughter and Emma’s guilty smirk captured, Regina hugging Emma from the waist.

“I call dibs,” Emma said, snatching the photo from the boy.

“Hey!”

“Emma, it’s his first photo!” Regina lightly admonished as she tried to snatch the photo back from the blonde.

Emma, using her height advantage, held the photo high up above the brunette and Regina cursed the fact that she wasn’t wearing heels.

“Emma,” the brunette lightly warned.

Emma grinned, “Kiss me first.”

“Right, because you deserve a kiss for bullying our son,” Regina folded her arms and raised a brow.

“No…”

“What then?”

Emma leaned forward, “Because I deserve a kiss for loving you.”

The woman was unrelenting and irresistible, but that was what Regina loved about Emma. Unable to help herself, she leaned forward as well and met the blonde halfway, pressing their lips together in a slow and lingering kiss.

“You guys are mushy,” Henry scrunched his face up and snatched the photo back from his distracted blonde mother’s hand.

“And we love you too. Come here, you little chestnut,” Emma cooed, pulling Henry to her so the three shared a tight embrace.

“Moms,” Henry groaned, red faced when his mothers peppered kisses over his crown and forehead.

Just then, the shrill sound of Emma’s cellphone sounded and she ran to the bedroom to answer it, leaving Henry with Regina still locked in her embrace.

“Okay Mom, you can let me go now.”

Regina smiled and gave him one last kiss on the forehead before releasing him.

“That picture was really nice, you know,” she said as she watched him study the Polaroid picture again.

“You think?” Henry looked up at her and the large grin on his face was reason enough for her own.

“There are photography classes you can enroll in, just tell me or Emma, and we’d be happy to find a suitable one for you.”

Regina watched as he contemplated her words, tracing a finger over the lens of the Polaroid camera before he shot her another small smile.

“It’s alright, Mom. Maybe next time,” Henry replied. “I’ll just go with the tide, I guess.”

She walked over and smoothed his brown hair over his head, “Well if you ever change your mind, we’re always here.”

He smiled again and Regina could count her blessings right there and then. But even so, her list would only contain two people – Emma and Henry.

[-]

_It was Mary Margaret who had convinced me to go. I didn’t know who died and when I asked, she had hesitated._

_“It isn’t someone you know,” she had said after a while. “But since we’re all going, you could come along as well. Or would you like to stay home?”_

_Curiosity existed in my nature, so I had agreed to tag along._

_The funeral was held in a large field clearing behind Storybrooke’s church. The group of nuns acted as ushers and directed us toward the area where the service was held. When we arrived at the back of the church, some people were already gathered there. I recognised some of them: Ruby, Granny, Archie and his dog, Pongo. Leroy was there as well with a few of his drinking buddies and then there were the nuns._

_It was late in fall and the temperatures were a bit chilly. The wind howled in our ears in warning and my loose hair swayed roughly in its direction. I hugged my coat tighter around my frame but the cold seemed to come from something else entirely._

_David and Mary Margaret went to greet some of the people and Henry stayed by my side. He had been quiet the whole ride to the funeral and I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, gently pulling him to my side._

_“Hey kid, are you okay?”_

_He had only stared at the frozen ground and said nothing, lightly shaking his head._

[-]

She had denied her feelings at first; pushed it far back behind her mind and sealed her heart off to the bubbling emotions that threatened to rise to the surface. Ms. Swan was merely her son’s other mother and daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, no less. They had been diplomatic and a strictly a team back in Neverland, nothing else. There was no way she could ever fall in love with that annoying blonde.

Or so, she told herself.

But as the wise man said, ‘You can close your eyes to the things you don’t want to see; but you can’t close your heart to the things you don’t want to feel’. Regina was no stranger to love and she had known exactly what she harboured for Emma, but there were so many things standing in their way.

Still, all of these would not have happened if Emma had not kissed her that first time when the blonde had dropped Henry off a few weeks after they got back from Neverland and things had stabilised.

“We can’t do this,” the brunette had pushed Emma away, although every fiber of her being was practically screaming to feel Emma against her again.

“Why,” Emma had panted and in the incandescence of the moonlight, Regina had to admit the blonde was breathtakingly stunning. “You like me, and I like you. Why are you stopping yourself?”

“There are so many obstacles and-”

She had been cut off by another heated kiss readily planted on her lips, as if Emma had just been waiting for the right moment to pounce again. This time, Regina had let go, allowing herself to completely melt in the blonde’s embrace and feel.

“We can work this out,” Emma had breathed when they pulled apart and that had been a promise kept.

It took time, but it was worth it. They were all practically a family now; weekly dinners at the Charming’s apartment, occasional sundaes at Granny’s, and letting Henry stay the night at his grandparents’ should Emma and her needed a moment or two to themselves.

Her whole life had been a series of calculated events and forced decisions, but this? This was a blessing, her happiness, her true ending.

“Hey,” Emma’s voice snapped Regina out of her reverie and she turned to face the blonde.

“Hey,” she replied, a small smile playing on her lips. “Who was that on the phone?”

“David.”

There was a hesitance in her voice in her voice that made Regina feel uneasy, but her face betrayed nothing as she brought a comforting hand to Emma’s arm.

“What did he say?”

Emma only smiled, “Just asked me to accompany him to the hospital, no biggie.”

There was something else – a misplaced sense of assurance Emma was trying too hard to give.

“The hospital,” Regina frowned. “Is David okay?”

The blonde nodded, running a mindless hand through her hair. “It’s just some checkup needed with Whale after the whole Dreamshade thing he went through.”

Regina could not help but scoff lightly at that. “And Storybrooke’s medical service can aid with a poison from another realm?”

“Better safe than sorry,” Emma shrugged. “‘Sides, I’m sure nothing bad will happen. It’s just a regular checkup. I could go as well, you know for convenience’s sakes.”

“Yeah,” Regina folded her arms and raised her eyebrow, what Emma loved to deem as her ‘signature move’. “God knows what those fries and donuts are doing to your body right now.”

At that, Emma smirked in challenge. She took a step closer and grabbed the brunette’s hand to splay it across her lower torso, the firm and taut muscles twitching under Regina’s fingers with the blonde’s bubbling chuckle.

“Guess I’m good huh,” Emma winked as she felt Regina slip her hands under her shirt to get better access.

“Very good,” Regina hummed in approval as she pulled their bodies flush against the other again, leaning up for another kiss.

_God, she just can’t get enough of this woman._

As tongues slid against the other sinking into the throes of passion and lust, Emma pulled away before it got too heated, much to the loss and disappointment of her wife.

“Later,” Emma promised, smiling as they catch their breaths. “I got to go and meet David now.”

“Later might not come,” Regina replied and although the hint of seriousness in her voice was detectable, the blonde only laughed.

“Silly, who said we were saying goodbye?”

[-]

_I lead Henry to the bench and told him to wait, saying I would go get some food. I knew he wasn’t hungry, but hey, I skipped breakfast._

_There were only simple sandwiches and bottled water displayed on the table. No one had taken the sandwiches yet. I guess I was the only one who was famished._

_Or had any appetite to eat._

_“Emma.”_

_I turned to see Mr. Gold standing beside me, his stoic gaze landed on the ham sandwich I was holding before reaching my eyes._

_“I know how you must be feeling,” he said. “My condolences.”_

_I frowned, confused. “I’m sorry but I’m not family of the deceased.”_

_Then with a little embarrassment, I lowered my voice and added, “I don’t even know who the deceased is.”_

_His eyes widened just that little inch and I watched his knuckles grip the handle of his cane so tight they turned white over his wrinkles._

_“I see,”Mr. Gold gritted out and I remember feeling a little annoyed at his sudden change in temperament, but I didn’t question it. “Well Ms. Swan, enjoy your ham sandwich.”_

_And with that, he just ambled off without so much of an explanation._

_I quickly finished my sandwich and set off. I was not a bails bondsperson for nothing – if I was at this funeral, the least I could do was find out who’s was it._

_I could see the open coffin through the cracks in the crowd and started my way toward. As I got closer, I saw a figure – a familiar one – standing by the coffin and all of a sudden, I felt nauseous._

_“Henry!” I shouted and increased my pace before a hard yank pulled me back._

_“Emma,” David firmly said, his hard stare, so unlike his usual gentle one, bored into mine that for a second, I was stunned. “I need to show you something.”_

_“That can wait,” I protested. “Henry is-”_

_“I know,” David softly replied. “Mary Margaret will take care of him. Why don’t you come along?”_

[-]

“Are you sure about this, Emma?”

This was about the fifth time David had asked the question on the car ride to the pawnshop and as much as Emma appreciated and understood her father’s concern for her, it was starting to grate on her nerves.

“It’s the only way.”

They pulled up by the curb and stepped out, the chill piercing their bones as they made their way to the shop. She had lied, it was not the only way. But Emma had decided a long time ago that it was the only needed way for the greater good.

Her mother had talked her out of it with incidents and stories about why Rumplestiltskin should be the last resort to any matter, but the imp had been right. Magic does come with a price. They had all defeated Peter Pan in Storybrooke as a team, although it was Gold who gave the last plunge of the knife to his own father.

But there had been another condition – a secret curse – that Peter Pan himself unleashed on Emma during the days in Neverland and it never manifested itself until just a few days ago. All because she was the Saviour.

Emma held her breath as Gold led her to the back, with David following, and slowly peeled off her outerwear and lifted her shirt. It was an ugly green patch located on her lower back just off to the right, much like a bruise but without the purple hue.

“I’m sorry,” Gold shook his head after careful examination. “I’m afraid I can do nothing. This kind of curse is Peter Pan’s own special blend. Only he who creates it knows the cure.”

David stared aghast at the pawnshop owner. “Are you sure?”

Gold pursed his lips, as if he was annoyed at the fact that someone would actually doubt him. “Mark my words, your highness.”

“So then, how do I get rid of it?” Emma spoke up.

It was scary, the way he looked at her – the first of some emotion she had seen in his usual stoic eyes given to everyone else in exception to Belle.

“You can’t. It’s fatal.”

“What,” David exploded. “Emma can’t die! Is there really nothing you can do, potions or magic or a wand or something?”

“As I said before, I am sorry,” Gold spoke and even he could not face the two royals as he closed his eyes and sighed, softening his voice. “But I can’t do anything to help.”

She would have said a word – any word – if she could, but what exactly can you do when presented with the fact that you’re dying, except to accept it?

[-]

_David led me into the empty sanctuary and we sat in one of the back rows._

_“So, what’s up?”_

_My tone must have been casual for such a sombre event but David only lowered his head, sorrow clouding his expressions. He reached into a bag I hadn’t noticed he was carrying and pulled out a small hard covered notebook._

_“What’s this,” I ask as I received it._

_“Look inside and you’ll see.”_

_The cover was smooth and black and when I opened it, I was faced with dark ink of the best penmanship I have ever seen, letters and punctuations of someone’s life perfectly outlined within the thin pages of this book._ A diary.

_“Whose diary is th-” I absentmindedly asked as I glanced through the lines before I saw something that made my blood froze._

“… and Emma made apple pie as dessert today for Henry and I. It was funny at first, to see her struggle in my old apron and her messy bun but fearing for the condition of my kitchen, I did ended up helping. The taste was tolerable (although I’m sure that has got to do with the fact that I pitched in, if not… well), but the look on Emma’s face as she dove into her own slice to try to prove her point was hilarious. And even though I’ve mentioned this a thousand times, I still don’t know how lucky I am to have such a gorgeous and funny wife. Gods, I love her.”

_I read the last lines over and over again. It was a weird sense of déjà vu between me and that diary but nevertheless, I looked up to find David staring and my gut senses just kicked in as things dawned on me and lies revealed themselves._

_“What exactly is going on, David? Whose diary is this? And most importantly, why are we at this funeral and why was Henry standing over the coffin?”_

_He knew he was busted and David only wiped his eyes roughly, which I later realised was to quickly diminish any form of tears that had been gathered there._

_“Do you really want to know, Emma?”_

_I nodded, too afraid to speak._

_He held out his hand, and I didn’t even question why as I took it, and he then led me outside. The eulogy had started some time ago, and as David led me through the people gathered around the coffin, they parted for us._

_But I didn’t notice._

_All I could focus on was the coffin. And the lady lying inside._

_The serene look on her beautiful face traced every feature and there was an unmistakable faint scar above her right lip. Her shoulder length hair was dark silk and they lay neatly around her head, almost as if someone had gone through the trouble to make them perfect in her last hours before she descended. I found myself wondering what colour her eyes were._

_Henry came and took my hand and when I looked down at him, I noticed that he was silently crying._

_“This is Regina, Emma,” David spoke as I reached forward and splayed my hand on the glass, the shadow of my palm casting a darkened mark over the lady’s – Regina’s – face._

_“She is the mother of Henry.”_

_At my surprised glance at him, David hastily continued, “The other mother of Henry. She adopted him when you gave him up at birth. You two were… you loved her very much, and so did she.”_

_“B-but… how?” It was confusing. Everything was._

_I looked around at the people staring at me, their looks of pity and melancholy eating into me so much that I felt nauseous._

_I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned to see Mary Margaret, offering the only thing I needed right now: silence._

_I turned towards Regina, memorising every inch of her face. Had it not been for the obvious occasion, one would have thought she was merely in peaceful slumber._

_The crowd behind had started to disperse, and the ones that mattered stayed around me, the four of us standing by Regina’s coffin._

_I swallowed and found that my throat felt like sandpaper._

_“How did she die?”_

[-]

Regina sat alone in her room, her hand gripping the tiny potion flask so hard that her knuckles had turned white.

As the Evil Queen, she had ruled, although harshly, but politically fairly. Nothing could escape her knowing and she knew everything. That was why Emma’s illness, no matter how much the Charmings had tried and thought they had cleverly concealed, could not escape her knowledge.

She knew David and Emma were not going to the hospital for ‘regular checkups’ as the blonde so easily put it. She was stealthy and with just a little investigation, Emma’s condition and current predicament came into light.

She had confronted Gold about it right after they left, for she knew there was a way around this situation. There had to be.

“There is a way, your Majesty,” the imp had sighed after some persuasion and pseudo threats and Regina had smirked, for she knew there was always more when it came to Rumplestiltskin. “But it is not favourable.”

“What do you mean?”

He had then magicked out a tiny flask potion, dark eyes betraying nothing as he handed it to her. “This is the cure.”

She had regarded him with suspicious trepidation. “If so, why didn’t you give this to Emma before?”

“Because only the other half of the strongest magic can cure her.”

Of course, True Love.

But Regina knew that the bond existing between her and Emma was more than just something written in the stars.

They were _them_.

Now as Regina lightly led a finger to trace the shape of the tiny flask, she recalled what the imp had said about this potion – that just a gulp from her could immediately cure Emma of Pan’s fatal curse. But of course, all magic came with a price.

And the price was Regina herself, and all the memories they had shared.

Was it worth it to exchange the life of one for another? If Emma had died for her, Regina knew she would never live with the excruciating pain and loss of the only other person who had ever truly seen and understood and loved her.

Which was why Emma’s memories would be completely wiped out and reverted back to the time when she first came to Storybrooke with memories of everyone else, except her.

It was a fair trade, Regina decided, although a heartbreaking one.

It broke her heart to know that Emma would never remember her, but the comfort that Emma would live brought an equally numbing ache to her thudding heart.

Emma had given her the best years of her life – turning from adversaries to acquaintances and ultimately to lovers – it was all Regina could ever ask for from the blonde, to love and be loved.

She loved Emma, and that revelation was what finally spurred her to make the decision.

As Regina felt the cool glass of the flask make its first contact with her lips, she thought about all the times she and Emma had spent together – their laughter, their promises, their lovemaking, their wedding, their love.

Yes maybe this was a selfish decision, for Regina knew she cannot live any longer if Emma were to part with their memories to her as a last gift.

And as Regina shut her eyes and swallowed the liquid, feeling it burn down her throat and slowly seeping into her system, she knew that this was for the greater good after all.

[-]

_“She sacrificed herself for you, Emma,” Mary Margaret had replied._

_I had not known what to say as I stared at Regina, the woman who was supposed to be my lover and who sacrificed herself for me._

_I had no recollection of ever getting sick, no memory of this woman – this stranger – lying in front of me, but I respected and knew that what she had done for me was all she ever was._

_I shut my eyes and tried to swim through boxes of locked memories in my mind but all I heard was the sobbing of Mary Margaret and Henry and all I saw was nothing._

_David stood beside Mary Margaret, a sorrowful gaze landed on Regina as a single tear fell down his hardened cheeks._

_I turned back towards Regina, my mind replaced with memories of who this woman could be if she were alive right now and who we could be together._

_But whoever Regina was when she was alive, I was sure we had fun times together._

_For now, she was only the woman whose funeral I had attended and the other mother of my son._

_David and Mary Margaret had explained some things to me when we got back from the funeral, who they really were and most importantly, who Regina was to me. They gave me Henry’s book – which I had seen him reading it at times. I haven’t started it for I am still a little confused, but I guess things will lighten up once I come around to accepting them._

_And now as I write in this notebook – this diary that once belonged to Regina – I thought that maybe through this way, I could understand her a little more and maybe just maybe, get my memories back._

_I tried crying, I did. But I couldn’t. How could you cry for a complete stranger?_

_Mary Margaret told me that Regina loved gardening and all I could think of was that if tears were flowers, my garden would be bare._


	3. Day 4 - Accidental Stimulation

_“Magic is one thing, but self-defence is another.”_

_“You forget that magic is my self-defence, Emma.”_

_“Yeah, but you can’t prance around depending on magic your whole life! C’mon Regina, it’s fair trade. It’ll be fun, I promise!”_

[-]

Regina pursed her lips as she listened to Emma drone on about the different defence positions one can assume in the event of a surprise attack and looked on dully as the blonde threw some ‘example punches’, as she called it.

Under Emma’s insistence on a ‘fair give and take’, the brunette had reluctantly agreed to these unnecessary lessons where they now find themselves in the cemetery outside her father’s mausoleum for a practice.

“Alright, Regina,” Emma gave her a wry smile. “It’s your turn. Show me some practice moves.”

At that, Regina scoffed. “I am no amateur; I don’t _practice._ ”

“Well then, fine. Let’s do the real thing and see how expert you are,” Emma raised a brow and smirked, coming to stand right in front of Regina. “I trust you won’t pull back on any punches, your Majesty.”

Regina met Emma’s cocky expression with a smirk of her own, before she raised her right hand in a fist and punched the blonde with all her strength.

The impact came unexpected to the blonde and she staggered a few steps, hand immediately coming up to soothe the corner of her mouth that Regina had hit, her eyes widening in shock before they became ablaze with intensity and she took two steps forward and retaliated.

Regina took the blow harder than she saw it as she felt two strong hands grabbing each of her shoulder blades and next thing she knew, she was roughly dragged and her back collided harshly with the hard stone behind her as Emma pinned her to the wall of the mausoleum and trapped her there.

All movement ceased save for the heaving of their chests as the two women paused to take their breaths, and that was when Regina saw how close they actually were. Emma’s breath mingled with hers as they panted and the brunette realised that Emma had her cornered by pressing her entire lower torso down against her own. The brunette could just barely feel the graze of Emma’s thigh against her own clothed center, and Regina took a sharp intake of breath as she felt her body react.

“How about that,” Emma grinned, not noticing their compromising position. “Not so expert after all, aren’t you?”

Emma’s words snapped Regina out of her daze and she quickly pushed Emma away, dusting herself. That seemed to bring Emma to their physical situation and the blonde stepped forward, a worried expression on her face.

“Regina, are you okay? I’m sorry if I hurt you, I tend to get carried awa-”

“I am fine,” the brunette interrupted stiffly before turning back to Emma. “The cold got in the way of my concentration.”

“Sure,” Emma folded her arms and smiled, not believing a single word.

“Let’s have a rematch,” Regina stated. “Without the cold.”

Before Emma could reply, Regina engulfed them with purple smoke from her magic and the two women found themselves in the room of the secret vault housed by the mausoleum. Regina shrugged off her coat and draped it over a velvet long chair as Emma examined her surroundings, no doubt amazed by what she saw.

“I can’t believe you wear shit like this on a daily basis. How do you even breathe?” Emma asked, pointing to one of Regina’s Evil Queen dresses before a movement caught her eye and she ducked just in time to grab her attacker’s wrist, immediately whirling the other woman around and locking her in a death grip against herself.

“Trying to catch me off guard huh?” Emma huffed, her breath in hot pants beside the brunette’s ear.

“Just testing your defences,” Regina bit back, struggling against the blonde’s strong hold and in the process of that, rubbing her back against the other woman’s chest.

The action caused a tingling pleasure straight to her core and Emma relished in it, before realising what she was doing and immediately let Regina go, face flushing in embarrassment. Her nipples stood erect, straining against her bra and blatantly through the white cotton of her shirt and Emma hoped Regina would think it was because of the cold.

Without warning, Regina came toward her again and this time, she was ready. As they exchanged punches and quick deflections, Regina was confident that she would win this round against the former bail bondswoman but a sudden side step from the blonde and Regina found herself in the same position as before – harshly pinned against the wall with Emma flushed against her.

“There,” Emma grinned triumphantly, as she felt the older woman slack against her hold. “Admit defeat, Regina.”

On any other circumstance, Regina would not even let her opponent utter those words. But right now, she felt too breathless, too hot and too in _need._ This time, Emma had grabbed both her wrists and locked them in place on either side of her head, the Sheriff’s right leg coming to rest conveniently between her thighs and Regina bit her lip in an attempt to stifle a groan as Emma shifted, giving her throbbing ache some pleasurable ease.

If Emma’s nipples were not obvious before, they were now straining for attention against the woman’s shirt and Regina swallowed dryly as she stared at Emma’s heaving chest, before dragging her gaze back up to meet the blonde’s.

Emma’s pupils were dilated and darkened with known lust as Regina felt the woman press closer, their lips barely inches apart and a tiny smirk playing on wet lips.

“Who would have guessed you liked it rough,” Emma’s voice dropped to a husky whisper as she traced Regina’s red lips with her piercing stare, before looking back up at the brunette whose sexual frustration rolled off her in tidal waves.

“Shut up and kiss me, Emma.”

And devoured her Emma did.


	4. Day 5 - Caregiving

_“Yeah. Aren’t you fortunate?”_

_“Well, if this bed is even half comfortable maybe I’ll start counting my blessings.”_

[-]

Emma pursed her lips in an attempt to hide a smile at Regina’s sass as she dipped the cloth into the water basin, rinsing it before carefully smoothing it over the brunette’s forehead again. She watched as Regina lay on her bed, stubbornly refusing to acknowledging the act of tender care yet not rejecting it either.

“Christ, you’re burning up Regina,” Emma said as she touched the older woman’s skin. “It was a good thing Henry found you, otherwise who knows what you’ll be by now.”

“Stop exaggerating, I could have healed myself perfectly fine.”

“For God’s sakes Regina, you _fainted_ in your living room and have been lying there for – I don’t know how long – and you were lucky you were brought to Whale’s in time for that fever to subside.”

Regina huffed in reply as she pushed herself to sit up on the bed and despite herself, Emma smiled at the unyielding brunette.

“You don’t have to be afraid to ask for help, you know that right?”

At that, Regina stared piercingly at Emma. “I assure you that I am not. I was just-”

A fit of coughs prevented the brunette from continuing whatever excuse she had planned to cook up and Emma immediately brought a soothing hand to rub at Regina’s back.

“Here,” Emma softly said as she brought the thermos flask, which she had specially filled with hot tea earlier on, to Regina’s lips and watched as the brunette sipped thankfully.

“Stay put, I’ll be right back.”

As she went downstairs to grab the pills that Whale had prescribed along with water and some food, Emma reappeared with a tray in hand to find Regina leaning against the headboard of the bed, eyes closed in rest.

“What is that?” Regina asked when she heard the blonde step in, observing the tray warily.

“Food and your medicine,” Emma answered. “It’s almost time for lunch.”

She presented the bowl to Regina and the brunette stared at the contents for a moment before looking up at her.

“Ms. Swan, you know I am sick not stupid, right? That is uncooked food.”

Emma frowned in confusion. “What? This is egg, Regina.”

“Either you need a cooking lesson or a pair of glasses because that is raw egg.”

Emma rolled her eyes and perched herself on the edge of the bed. “Haven’t you heard of soft boiled eggs?”

Regina gaped at Emma as the blonde continued holding the bowl of yellow gooey substance in front of her. “ _This_ is soft boiled egg?”

“Yeah,” Emma replied in a duh tone. “I just mashed it up, that’s all. Oh, and that brown colour you see mixed in is soy sauce. Trust me, they go so well together. One of my foster families introduced this to me and I swear to you, I had soft boiled egg for breakfast three weeks straight. It was heaven until I got sick of it. Usually, I would add a little pepper to give it some kick, but you’re coughing now, so…”

Regina listened as the blonde rambled, a tiny smile playing on her lips as she received the bowl from Emma and scooping up the almost liquid egg.

Emma watched Regina eagerly as the brunette took her first taste.

“So,” Emma grinned. “Good, huh?”

Regina met Emma’s grin with a sweet reply of ‘no’ before breaking into a genuine smile when Emma’s face deflated into her signature pout, a trait that Regina never failed to find endearing.

“If it isn’t good, why’re you still eating it?” Emma defiantly said.

“Excuse me if I am starving and this… substance is the only thing around capable of consumption.”

Emma shook her head in defeat. “You know, it’s a wonder how your sass can stay even when you’re sick.”

Regina gave a low chuckle as Emma stood up.

“Alright, I gotta run to the station, David said he needed a little help there,” Emma said as she did a little stretch. “The medicine’s on the tray, remember to take it when you’re done eating. You’ll be okay on your own, right?”

Regina nodded as she watched the blonde head to the doorway, the playful attitude from their earlier banter dissolving away from her.

“Emma?”

Emma turned abruptly at the sound of her name, a little surprised – yet happily so – to hear it fall in such a soft tone from Regina.

“Yeah?”

Regina gave smiled at her – the kind of smile she only reserved for two people, the other being Henry – and softly said, “Thank you.”

The muscles at the corner of her mouth threatened to pull into a smile but Emma only nodded in reply.

“I’ll see you later.”

“Although I’d prefer hard-boiled egg next time,” the brunette called after her as she left the room and Emma relented as she let the wide grin spread over her face.


	5. Day 7 - Accidental Marriage

_“This is not happening right now.”_

_“But it already did, Regina.”_

[-]

Emma grabbed the piece of paper, which had been sitting slightly crumpled on the edge of the bed.

“Look, it’s our marriage certificate. How sweet.”

She felt the bed move as Regina turned to glare at her. “So you think this is a joke?”

“No,” Emma replied as her eyes traced over the brunette’s sleep mussed hair before falling to dark brown eyes lightly smudged with last night’s eyeliner. “But I don’t think it’s a mistake either.”

She watched as Regina’s eyes widened just a little before they narrowed and Emma hurried to explain herself.

“I mean, we both share a son, right? And we work things out regarding Henry, like general rules, his grades, him going out with friends and all. Come on, we see each other almost every day and I know where you keep the plates and utensils in the kitchen. Without all that legal shit, we can almost be counted as a married couple.”

Regina kept silent as she listened to Emma, taking the marriage certificate from the blonde as she ran her eyes over the words. There had been an after party last night and to say everyone had let their reins a little loose was an understatement.

But she also knew Emma was right. The blonde had occupied such a huge part of her life now until Emma had begun to feel more than just Henry’s other mother to her. The number of times Emma had stayed for dinner and the number of times she had invited the blonde for a drink after was more than what Regina had expected of their burgeoning friendship before and now, it just felt domestic.

“I… I don’t know Emma,” Regina spoke, lying back down on the bed as she stared at a spot on the ceiling. “We were drunk last night.”

“Do you know what feeling usually comes hand in hand with intoxication?” Emma asked as she rested her head on her elbow and looked back at Regina’s blank face, the blanket still half draped over her waist.

“Regret. Do you feel regret right now?”

“No, I-”

“See,” Emma smiled. “You have your answer.”

Regina turned to face Emma, incredulous. “But you can’t just… leave this alone! We’re _married_ and we don’t even know how, we don’t know what happened last night! There could be more to this thing, I mean I don’t remember any proposal and was there even a wedding? I don’t-”

Her soliloquy was stopped by a finger on her lips as Emma suddenly became too close, a small smile playing on the blonde’s lips.

“Is that what you want, a wedding?”

At Regina’s stunned and confused look, Emma chuckled. “I guess I should make some things clear now when I’ve got the chance, eh?”

She let herself inch closer to Regina so that their bodies touched and their breaths faintly hit against the other’s cheek. Emma bored into dark orbs and swallowed nervously.

“Regina, I… I like you. I don’t know how and I don’t know when – but the feeling I get when I see you smile or laugh just started swallowing me whole and one day it hit me: I’m in love with Regina Mills. I swear to God I have no idea what the hell happened last night at that party, but if there was one good thing that ever came out of the consequences of alcohol, this is it.”

Lifting a hand to gently cup Emma’s cheek, Regina smiled, “You don’t know how long I have been feeling the same thing.”

As their lips touched gently for the very first time, who cares what the future holds or how they even got accidentally married in the first place. Right now, they were just two people finally opening up and embracing emotions that had been held back with fear and uncertainty for a period of time, eventually embracing each other.

And besides, aren’t accidents meant to make people fall anyway?


End file.
